The present invention is related to a system that saves clean or whitewater in sanitation, mainly in houses. The water is saved to be used in the bathrooms, taking advantage of the use of clear grey or soapy water generated in the showers instead of drinking, clear, or whitewater.
Mainly, the present invention is related to improvements and implements made to the receptor device, flow and control devices, and filter system for soapy water obtained in the showers.
In the state of the art devices are shown having as a common denominator the recovering or reuse of the cold water from the showers or other hydraulic devices which use and handle warm water, including storing and leading it to containers. The water that normally is wasted with these containers is allowed to be in sinks for sanitary use or in some cases recycling water to heaters. However, none of these known inventions which are described solves comprehensibly an additional aspect: to use soapy water from showers to save clear or drinking water used normally in bathrooms. This water normally is discharged toward a drain, nevertheless, the quality and quantity of this water allows to give an additional use, such as for bathrooms and toilets. This action allows the opportunity to save water from the shower and also save and reuse soapy water to use in toilets when normally clear water is used every time the toilet is flushed. The present invention substantially reduces the use of clear and drinking water.
The prior art shows devices or hydraulic systems to save water which are directed to efficiently dispense such fluid in specific applications, such as patent MX 164908. This reference describes a hermetic box containing water to be dispensed toward the toilet. The water drops down under pressure and saves the water in the bathroom. However, this reference does not solve the problem of saving water at all by reusing soapy water from the showers.
In the case of the reference MX1923, an hydraulic arrangement is described whereby cold water from the shower is diverted toward a container to be used in toilets later. The arrangement is regulated through valves until the water temperature dropping by the shower is comfortable for users, saving cold water.
Mexican Patent 251376 refers to a system for saving hot water, which operates between the water heater and the shower, the bathroom, or the kitchen sink. The reference describes a recirculating system of cold and hot water, which by using an electro-mechanical system allows an automatic operation using an electronic system and temperature and water flow sensors. Using such electronic and electromechanical systems seems not as trustworthy to be used in dwellings. This invention only saves clear or drinking water, which comes from the water heater toward showers or sinks in bathrooms or kitchens, sending water to another deposit to be used in toilets or sinks.
There are other systems to save water that have the same or similar functionality, to save water coming from showers. For example the U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,688 refers to a system that saves water flowing under certain temperatures, and includes a solenoid control valve controlled by a set of temperature sensors, and a water pump which recirculates cold water toward the water heater. This invention also recirculates and saves clear water, improving water heater performance.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,456 describes a system to save cold water in showers that comprises a cold and clear water receptor and a set of valves that allows to store cold water in a deposit to be reused later.
Other systems include hydraulic accessories by which the user can choose to use water from the heater to either a shower or to a receiving vessel, thus, the user can direct the cold water, preventing water wastage that otherwise would go to the drain without being used. Such is the case of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,277,218 and 5,941,504. Their references use microprocessors including recirculation or pressure sensors, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,570 and 5,794,643, with which such control is achieved by taking advantage of differential flows and temperature pressures. All these references are efficient in concept but only refer to the clear water recirculation. The electronic and sensor systems are often complex.
Another reference is U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,544 in which accessories have been incorporated next to the shower that permits to store clear water to use later.
Also, there are references focused in recycling soapy water to be used in bathrooms, such as the case of the Mexican Utility Model MX736. The soapy water goes toward outdoor deposits. Also, Mexican Patents MX 181159 and 181169, that corresponds to the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,341,529 and 5,445,146 respectively, describe a system to recirculate soapy water toward the toilet. However, they disclose complex systems that have to be adapted to W.C. tank, thus, these references are not reliable and can only reuse soapy water.
In spite of all these options described, all these references are directed to get and reuse just one kind of water; cold water, which is in all cases clear, or drinking water that comes from a main tank installed in houses or apartment buildings, that has passed from the water heater to the shower. None of these cases provides the option to get another kind of water that is generated in bathrooms like soapy water, which quality permit users reuse in convenient ways in toilets.
Patent application PCT/MX2010/000015, integrates a system for saving clear water and use of gray water from baths including: a system for the collection and use of cool water from a water heater that is diverted to at least one collection or deposit system as the water is cold, a collection system of clear cold water, which is fed by a system until the water reaches a comfortable temperature for the user; a system for the use of the clear, cold water as a source of drinking water or clear water, a system to divert hot water from the heater to the shower for bathing service, a system of collection and pumping of soapy water that is produced by the user during bathing at least one storage tank of soapy water, a system for use in medical devices such as soapy water, and toilets and cleaning of service areas.